Stents are used in association with graft material, for instance, to hold open a tube of graft material and to maintain patency of a lumen. In particular where the stents extend from the graft material either proximally or distally, it is desirable that there is some secure method for fastening of the stent to the graft material.
This invention will be particularly discussed in relation to the fastening of self-expanding stents to polyester graft materials, however, it is to be realized that the invention is not limited to this particular application, but may be applicable to other types of stents and other graft materials.
Throughout this specification the term distal with respect to a portion of the aorta, a deployment device or a prosthesis is the end of the aorta, deployment device or prosthesis further away in the direction of blood flow away from the heart and the term proximal means the portion of the aorta, deployment device or end of the prosthesis nearer to the heart. When applied to other vessels corresponding terms such as caudal and cranial should be understood.